Roles and ideologies in foreign policy: the Czech positions on the EU migration crisis

Abstract

Role theory and the study of ideology represent two important concepts of Foreign Policy Analysis. While the former sheds light on the positions which a country assumes on the international stage, the latter examines the deep ideational grounds on which foreign policy rests. This article integrates roles and ideologies to define foreign policy positions. An analysis of the Czech foreign policy during the EU migration crisis identifies four ideologies (Atlanticism, Europeanism, Internationalism and Sovereignism) and five roles (Democracy Supporter, Faithful Ally, Regional Collaborator, Reformer, and Prosperity Builder). On this basis, a number of foreign policy positions are defined, among which that of a Europeanist Reformer stands out as it synthesises two patterns of the Czech foreign policy: its striving for international recognition and its striving for national autonomy. The article also argues that during the migration crisis, the striving for autonomy was somewhat stronger than before.